1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of surgical instruments and, more specifically, to surgical needles for suturing wounds.
2. Description of the Art
In recent years, there has been an increasing awareness of the problems associated with accidental sticking of medical personnel with suturing and syringe needles. Before the advent of biological warfare contaminants and the spreading of infectious health hazards such as hepatitis B (HBV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), the consequences of sustaining a needle stick wound were not considered serious. However, the knowledge that infectious diseases such as the AIDS virus can be spread by an accidentally inflicted needle-stick from a contaminated needle administered to a person having the AIDS virus has done much to change this belief. Accordingly, there has been an increasing amount of activity in the area of addressing this problem. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,828,547 to Sahi et al. describes a needle assembly containing a blunting member which is movable, either by fluid flow through the needle or by mechanical pressure, from a retracted position in which the blunting member does not interfere with the puncture tip of the needle, to an extended position attained after use in which the blunting member extends beyond the punture tip and thereby blunts the needle. Further examples of shield or guard type assemblies for syringe needles are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,883,469 to Glazier and 4,883,471 to Braginetz et al.
While the devices disclosed in the above patients and other similar type devices may be useful for hypodermic syringe needles which are intended to be disposed of after a single "stick", it is not a practicable solution for use with surgical needles since such needles must make repeated "sticks" into the body. While surgeons are highly trained and skilled individuals, the possibility of an accidental stick from a surgical needle is still present. Even a highly skilled surgeon can eventually become tired or, as in trauma situations, in a hurry at the end of a long operation and thus more prone to such an occurrence. Then too, it is not uncommon that a less experienced individual in the operating room team is assigned to close the wound.
The present invention is intended to decrease the potential transmission of all infectious agents, including those referred to above, in situations where accidental needle stick is the means for such transmission.